Means for retarding escapes



March 28, 1939. 5 HOD S 2,152,052

MEANS FOR RETARDING ESCAPES Filed Aug. 16, 1937 I HllHll INVENTOR. STEVE 11. Humps TORNEY.

' therewith and placed in front of the window in Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention has reference generally to improvements in burglar alarms and has particular reference to an improved system as set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 134,554, filed April 2nd, 1937.

In the present application I have departed slightly from the construction and operation shown in the previous applications, but in general aspects they agree.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a tellers wicket with means in combination such manner that when a burglar or unauthorized person approaches the wicket, he will be thrown off his balance, thereby enabling bank employees to protect the cash on hand by the drawing of arms or other protective means.

Another object of the invention is to provide protective means for banks and.like institutions that is of novel character and that may be utilized for this purpose to good advantage in that the same is not discernible, and does not give any audible or visible alarm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the subjoined specification and the accompanying drawing in which:-

Figure 1 is a sectional tellers cage and showing wicket thereof;

Figure 2 is a plan section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical features of the device.

It is a well-known fact that burglars or unauthorized persons entering banking or like institutions generally step up to a tellers wicket and demand the tellers cash which may be in his cash drawer or behind the wicket and it is my object to overcome this practice in the following manner:-

Referring particularly to the drawing in which the preferred form of the invention is shown and especially to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 5 desigelevation illustrating a a mat in front of the nates a bank or like structure including a tellers wicket 6, usual counter l, and floor 8.

A revolving member 9, is arranged inside of the wicket and has cash shelves lo, the whole being carried by a revolvable post II, suitably jour- 5 hailed as shown.

A mat I2, is positioned in front of the tellers wicket and in the event a burglar approaches said wicket with unlawful intent, the teller behind the counter rotates the cash shelves I 0, which cause electrical contact to be made through the contact element l4, thus energizing the motor [5, and causing the mat l2, to be suddenly jerked through the medium of the band or belt I 6, which in turn is connected to the drive pulley l5 ll of said motor.

It is, therefore, apparent that when a person steps upon the mat I2, and at the discretion of the teller, he may be suddenly upset or thrown oif his balance by the sudden energization of the motor and the consequent sudden jerking of said mat, thereby giving employees of the bank or like institution time to protect themselves as well as the cash on hand.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a device of the class described, burglar preventive means including in combination with a tellers wicket, a mat positioned in front of the wicket, and motor means for giving a sudden jerk to said mat.

2. In a device of the class described, a burglar preventive means, said means including a movable mat, capable of being placed in front of a tellers wicket and including a motor flexibly connected thereto, means arranged in said wicket for energizing said motor, and including a turn-table in the form of a counter whereby when turned in either direction the said motor is energized, and a flexible connection between the mat and said motor which causes a sudden jerk to be imparted to said mat.

STEVE J. I-IODOS. 

